MMRG will become a land trust

Thursday

Feb 21, 2013 at 3:15 AM

By John Nolanjnolan@fosters.com

WOLFEBORO — Moose Mountain Regional Greenways, a non-profit organization whose goal is land conservation and educational outreach, held its annual meeting at the Wolfeboro Inn on Feb. 4. Over 110 people, drawn from the communities of Farmington, Milton, Middleton, New Durham, Wakefield, Brookfield and Wolfeboro, attended. Coyote Creek Outfitters of Rochester was a sponsor of the event.

At the outset, three new board members were elected — David Levin of Milton and Bruce Rich and Nancy Spencer Smith of Wakefield — and three board members whose terms were expiring, were reelected — Dan Coons and Art Slocum of Wolfeboro and at-large member Dawn Evans of Tuftonboro.

Slocum, who is chairman of the board, said that the MMRG will, in the coming years, act as a land trust, and hold land and easements, something it hasn’t done up to date although its founding documents allow it to do so.

Slocum said the group would continue to work with its partners, but in some instances, it will speed up the process if MMRG holds the easement of land it is partnering with landowners to preserve.

He said it would take time for MMRG to establish a stewardship fund and put policies and systems in place, to effectively own and manage land and easements. Slocum estimated that within a year they will be ready to be an operating land trust.

“We will be around for many years,” he said.

MMRG Conservationist Keith Fletcher expanded on the move to becoming a land trust, and noted that to date, MMRG had helped preserve a total of 4,186 acres in the seven communities it covers.

Following dinner, MMRG honored treasurer Jon Batson for his continuing services, and then gave out two awards.

The Volunteer of the Year Award went to Robyn Olivares, in recognition of her volunteer work on the MMRG website (www.mmrg.info) since 2004, which she designed and regularly updates.

Conservationist of the Year went to the Siemon Company, based in Waterbury, Conn. but with strong ties to Milton Mills.

Slocum described the company’s and the Siemon family’s involvement:

“Since our founding in 1999,” he said, “MMRG has been associated with the Siemon Company, the Siemon Family and the Branch Hill Farm Carl Siemon Charitable Trust. It was at this farm that Carl Siemon planted the lessons for his family of sustainability, conservation, land preservation, and environmentally friendly practices that resulted in not only the founding of Moose Mountains Regional Greenways and the 3,000 acre Branch Hill Farm, but Carl also instilled Green Business practices at the Siemon Company long before they were an industry buzzword and marketing tool.

“The Siemon Company provides matching funds for our Woods Water and Wildlife Festival our largest fundraiser.

“Cynthia Wyatt, our vice chairman and daughter of Carl Siemon, was a founding member of MMRG and has generously donated sustaining funds for MMRG over the years and allowed us to use Branch Hill Farm for many of our events like the WWW Festival and the Branch River Paddle...”

Slocum presented the plaque to the company’s part owner CK Siemon and CFO Tom Costello.

CK Siemon related to the MMRG members how the company strives “to be the most green and sustainable network infrastructure company in the world.”

“In 1962,” he said, “the Carl Siemon Family Charitable Trust was born with the purchase of Branch Hill Farm, a three acre, 200 year old farm. The small farm grew with the additional purchase in 1966 of 56 acres of additional clear cut land where a tree farm could be planted. Since then Branch Hill has expanded to over 3,000 acres with 41 separate land acquisitions.

“Branch Hill Farm is now totally dedicated as a charity providing education programs to the public concerning the preservation of fields, forest and wildlife and has over the last few years been recognized as:

• New Hampshire’s Outstanding Tree Farm on three occasions

• New England’s Outstanding Tree Farm on two occasions

• Second Place — U.S. National Tree Farm Competition”

Following the award presentation, guest speaker LaMarr Clannon took the podium, and gave a PowerPoint presentation that focused on nonpoint source pollution, and the growth of impervious surfaces.

Lamarr is the coordinator of the Maine Program for Nonpoint Education of Municipal Officials (NEMO), and talks to community land use decision-makers about balancing growth and protecting natural resources. Her talk, titled “Suck it up and Soak it in — How Low Impact Development can Sustain our Children’s Water,” emphasized the interconnections between land use and water quality.

At the end of her presentation, Slocum reminded winners of the silent auction, which had been ongoing throughout the evening, to check in with the organizers.

For more information, please visit www.mmrg.info or call (603) 817-8260.